Sep 12, 2019
Here’s the secret about fairy tales: They’re not for kids. In the aftermath of the hellish Spanish Civil War, a little girl named Ofelia wanders into a mystical labyrinth with a secretive faun, mute fairies and a haunting monster with eyeballs in its palms. Meanwhile, the “real world” around her falls into bloodshed, torture and chaos. This is Guillermo del Toro at his finest – a stunning work blending Latin American mysticism with a raw indictment of Franco-era fascism.
Quality: 5. Motion Picture Terror Scale: 4 – (Marcus), 3 + (Melissa). Bechdel Test: Passes.
Articles discussed in this episode:
Spain’s Open Wounds: Decades after Franco’s regime, the country’s citizens continue to unearth the crimes of the past. By Stephania Taladrid for The New Yorker
Pain should not be sought – but it should never be avoided. By Mark Kermode for The Guardian
Eighty years on, Spain may at last be able to confront the ghosts of civil war. By Julian Coman for The Guardian.
Great Movie: Pan’s Labyrinth. By Roger Ebert for RogerEbert.com
1984: George Orwell’s road to dystopia. By David Aaronovitch for BBC News.